Preview — Inheriting Fear
by Sandy Vaile

Inheriting Fear

Chef Mya Jensen’s plate is already full. She has her job, her motorbike, and her kickboxing and she’s the guardian of her disabled mother. She doesn’t need a man in her life, and she definitely doesn’t need her cocky new neighbor, Detective Luca Patterson, linking her to his latest investigation.

Luca has never crossed a professional line—until he meets Mya. She is sexy, fChef Mya Jensen’s plate is already full. She has her job, her motorbike, and her kickboxing and she’s the guardian of her disabled mother. She doesn’t need a man in her life, and she definitely doesn’t need her cocky new neighbor, Detective Luca Patterson, linking her to his latest investigation.

Luca has never crossed a professional line—until he meets Mya. She is sexy, feisty, and so many kinds of wrong, but he can’t stop thinking about her. Maybe because every time he’s onto a lead in his latest jewelry counterfeit case, her name pops up. But is she a victim or a suspect?

When Mya gets targeted by an old foe hell-bent on revenge, her secrets coincide with Luca’s case—and lead to an unexpectedly sizzling interlude in his bed. Will this independent woman try to fight her way out of this one, or finally open up her heart?...more

Community Reviews

Sandy Vaile’s debut Romantic Suspense is droll, sexy and will keep you guessing.

Traumatised by her past, Mya guards her privacy as passionately as she shields her invalid mother. Not even her new neighbour, sexy Detective Luca Patterson, is tempting enough for her to let down her guard. Then someone from her past emerges to stalk and harass her, the neighbourhood goes to hell, and Mya must put her trust in a man who isn’t sure whether she’s a victim or his best suspect in a series of robberies.Sandy Vaile’s debut Romantic Suspense is droll, sexy and will keep you guessing.

Traumatised by her past, Mya guards her privacy as passionately as she shields her invalid mother. Not even her new neighbour, sexy Detective Luca Patterson, is tempting enough for her to let down her guard. Then someone from her past emerges to stalk and harass her, the neighbourhood goes to hell, and Mya must put her trust in a man who isn’t sure whether she’s a victim or his best suspect in a series of robberies.

Inheriting Fear is a thoroughly enjoyable read that is hard to put down and will leave you wanting more of this new author. The mystery at the heart of the novel is deceptively simple. Suspense emerges more from the clever revelation of information rather than plot twists and as the layers of the story are revealed, its complexity is clear. Vaile does a brilliant job of tying the threads together in a believable way. The attention to detail in police procedure, kickboxing and medical conventions show extensive research underpins this story, but it never overwhelms the story. Likewise, a light touch is evident in the way Luca and Mya’s all-important backstories are revealed.

As a former chef, Vaile gives Mya’s kitchen skills a very believable polish, and she's imbued her heroine with her own passion for motorbikes. I loved the South Australian locations, which are suitably gritty, and Mya’s one-liners—some resonant and others laugh-out-loud—make her narrative voice unique. Mya and Luca are suitably attractive leads with tortured pasts that keep them apart and make them perfect partners. Those looking for romance won’t be disappointed.

This is pacey romantic suspense with dimension and wit and I look forward to reading more Sandy Vaile novels.

Inheriting Fear is about revenge, love, and trust. One day Chef Mya Jensen while visiting her disabled mother in the nursing home, realised that her mother's jewellery was stolen and replaced by fakes. When Mya realise that the Police will not help decided to investigate herself. However, this action caused Mya to collied with Detective Luca Patterson investigation into jewellery thefts in nursing homes. The readers of Inheriting Fear will continue to follow Chef Mya Jensen and Detective Luca PaInheriting Fear is about revenge, love, and trust. One day Chef Mya Jensen while visiting her disabled mother in the nursing home, realised that her mother's jewellery was stolen and replaced by fakes. When Mya realise that the Police will not help decided to investigate herself. However, this action caused Mya to collied with Detective Luca Patterson investigation into jewellery thefts in nursing homes. The readers of Inheriting Fear will continue to follow Chef Mya Jensen and Detective Luca Patterson and their investigations into the thefts to see what happens.

Inheriting Fear is the first book I have read of Sandy Vaile I enjoyed reading this book. Sandy Vaile did engage me with the plot of Inheriting Fear from the first page, and I stay engaged throughout the book. I love the way Sandy Vaile portrayal her characters and there interacted with each other throughout this book. I like the description of the settings of Inheriting Fear and how the settings compliment the plot. Inheriting Fear is well written and researched by Sandy Vaile.

The readers of Inheriting Fear will learn about the consequences of family violence. Also, the readers of Inheriting Fear will understand the importance of trust and asking for help.

Vaile writes in a very entrancing manner. I found myself pulled into the story from the moment I met the main character. The sense of foreboding emanating from the pages sent a chill down my spine. The plot is intricately thought out, minute details blending with the overarching story to create a suspenseful whole. I was attempting to unravel the mystery just as much as the characters were.

The characters in this novel were quite well developed. The intricacy of Vaile’s writing is very prevalent Vaile writes in a very entrancing manner. I found myself pulled into the story from the moment I met the main character. The sense of foreboding emanating from the pages sent a chill down my spine. The plot is intricately thought out, minute details blending with the overarching story to create a suspenseful whole. I was attempting to unravel the mystery just as much as the characters were.

The characters in this novel were quite well developed. The intricacy of Vaile’s writing is very prevalent in the in depth yet approachable backstories for both of the main characters. The main characters were multifaceted and very 3dimensional. The complexity of their characters made them very easy to want to know, yet their intense and heartbreaking pasts made them individuals that, even if you couldn’t identify with them, you could easily feel for them. The chemistry between these two was off the charts. I appreciated the conflicts that this caused both of the characters, if for extremely different reasons.

As a whole this was an intensely suspenseful novel that was a joy to read. Vaile is definitely an author to watch.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review....more

Inheriting Fear is a rollicking good tale with a sassy heroine who’s in need of love, but definitely doesn’t need rescuing. I’ve always be partial to self-sufficient women, capable of looking after themselves and those around them. Mya is an admirable heroine who doesn’t give her trust easily. The delectable hero, Luca, is going to have to work hard if he’s going to earn her approval and along the way he has to decide whose side Mya’s really on. It makes for a compelling conflict between the twoInheriting Fear is a rollicking good tale with a sassy heroine who’s in need of love, but definitely doesn’t need rescuing. I’ve always be partial to self-sufficient women, capable of looking after themselves and those around them. Mya is an admirable heroine who doesn’t give her trust easily. The delectable hero, Luca, is going to have to work hard if he’s going to earn her approval and along the way he has to decide whose side Mya’s really on. It makes for a compelling conflict between the two characters.

The cast of secondary characters are well rounded and I love the wise-cracks, the humour and the quirky plot line in Sandy Vaile’s debut. Look forward to reading more of her stories. ...more

There were quite a few inconsistencies in this book, a lot of the time it was like a really twisted game of Chinese whispers. For example, As far as I can remember Mya didn't tell Luca her last name, and then somehow he miraculously knew it so he could run a background check on her.

I never really liked Luca. He was apparently still hung up on his wife, who had died 7 years prior. But he ogled every woman that he saw. Seriously. He was thinking all tits and racks, and then oooh but my wife is deaThere were quite a few inconsistencies in this book, a lot of the time it was like a really twisted game of Chinese whispers. For example, As far as I can remember Mya didn't tell Luca her last name, and then somehow he miraculously knew it so he could run a background check on her.

I never really liked Luca. He was apparently still hung up on his wife, who had died 7 years prior. But he ogled every woman that he saw. Seriously. He was thinking all tits and racks, and then oooh but my wife is dead and I miss her and blame myself. If a bloke ogled like that, he'd be dealt a serve of insults... (loc 648, Kindle) Luca says this just after thinking about Mya's nice rack, and describing the waitresses huge tits. All I could think was, what a pig.

Mya was someone I couldn't really connect with. She doesn't trust men, but instead of investing in a toy to help her scratch her itch, she has one-night stands. I really don't understand that.

One thing I thought deserved to be addressed was the fact that Mya tells Luca that she never comes during sex. That topic was never brought up again, and I was expecting something like Luca being the first man that helps her get to that place.

The scenic descriptions were fantastic, painted a very vivid mental picture. But the dialogue and surrounding scenes just didn't have the same effect.

The climax was a little unbelievable, mostly because Mya had some bad injuries, most importantly a concussion. I know adrenaline plays a role in this scene, but she would not be able to move as good as she did in the scene with the significant injuries she had, even with the adrenaline.

Overall, it was a good read, but there's a lot of inconsistencies, and things that could be improved. ...more

Mya Jensen ran away from her traumatic past to set up a new life for herself and her invalid mother. Having an abusive father has led her to distrust all men and to keep her life private. She has picked up kick-boxing skills along the way and is more than capable of looking after herself. And then things turn funky...Despite her predisposition, she is attracted to her newest neighbour, detective Luca Patterson. But soon her past catches up with her as threatening letters appear from nowhere. TroMya Jensen ran away from her traumatic past to set up a new life for herself and her invalid mother. Having an abusive father has led her to distrust all men and to keep her life private. She has picked up kick-boxing skills along the way and is more than capable of looking after herself. And then things turn funky...Despite her predisposition, she is attracted to her newest neighbour, detective Luca Patterson. But soon her past catches up with her as threatening letters appear from nowhere. Trouble with neighbours, worries about her mother and an attempt on her life complicate her life further. It make matters worse, Luca's various investigations keep turning up connections with Mya and he suspects she may be a criminal, not a victim. He struggles to not allow his growing attraction to Mya cloud his his integrity as an officer.Inheriting Fear continues my education in romance. It is a work of romantic suspense, a genre I was completely unaware of prior to picking up this book. It is a very well crafted story and balances the romance well with the action. Police procedure, kick-boxing and medical details areall well-researched throughout, adding extra interest and believability to the story. And the suspenseful climax nearly killed me. Well done to Sandy Vaile, for a vivid and entertaining read....more

Mya is the strong heroine I like to read about in books. Sandy's writing is wonderful and she has you hooked from the beginning. I love the relationship between Mya and Luca all while keeping the suspense in the story tight. I also enjoyed the South Australian settings. A great book and I look forward to reading more from Sandy Vaile.

Fantastic book. Well developed characters and great story line. Very enjoyable to read, making it difficult to put down once you start. Hope it will lead to a sequel because I loved the characters and story line. Well done Sandy Vaile, I look forward to your next publication!

Really enjoyed Inheriting Fear and I loved the twist towards the end. I most enjoyed a heroine that wasn't spoiled and pampered - loved her independence and unwavering trust in her instinct. Great read.

Absolutely loved this book! Right from the start it kept me intrigued and absorbed...couldn't put it down! Loved the characters, the drama, suspense and the romance! Looking forward to the next book from Sandy Vaile!

Edit 4/9/16: The original review was posted from my phone and for some reason several lines of text disappeared, along with a bright shiny star.

3.5 stars

This is a thoroughly enjoyable romantic suspense novel from an Adelaide writer. The novel has been reviewed well on Amazon and Goodreads and it is not difficult to see why. The author delivers a number of clever twists and turns and exciting characters.

A story with a bit of something for everyone - some mystery, some thriller, and some romance - set in a nicely different location. The characters are well sketched and interesting, albeit a little exagerrated in their relative strengths and weaknesses and the plot moves at a decent clip.

I'm a motorbike-riding daredevil who isn’t content with a story unless there’s a courageous heroine and a dead body. Naturally, I'm a voracious reader who loves speed and adventure.

Home is amongst the vineyards in South Australia with my family and a rambunctious Hungarian Vizsla dog. I'm a part-time quality coordinator (read list making word nerd) and in my spare time I enjoy motorbike riding, cI'm a motorbike-riding daredevil who isn’t content with a story unless there’s a courageous heroine and a dead body. Naturally, I'm a voracious reader who loves speed and adventure.

Home is amongst the vineyards in South Australia with my family and a rambunctious Hungarian Vizsla dog. I'm a part-time quality coordinator (read list making word nerd) and in my spare time I enjoy motorbike riding, cooking (read eating) decadent desserts, and devising horrible things to do to my fictional characters....more